Combination bottle cap and dispenser



Jan. 19, 1960 N. H. SLOAN COMBINATION BOTTLE CAP AND DISPENSER FiledApril 2, 1956 INVENTOR.

Sloan wwiwm P Pauly.

United States Patent O COMBINATION BOTTLE CAP AND DISPENSER Noah H.Sloan, Chicago, 111. Application April 2, 1956, Serial No. 575,508 I 2Claims. (Cl. 215-'-37) This invention relates to improvements in bottlecovers and particularly to an improved bottle cap forproviding a fluidtight cover for a bottle integral with a measuring means for permittingfluids to be dispensed in accurate amounts from a bottle withoutrequiring a spoon or other measuring and dispensing device.

In ordinary practice,- a bottle containing fluid, such as medicine, isprovided with a removable screw type cap covering the pouring apertureof the bottle for retaining fluid within the bottle. When dispensing thefluid, it is necessary to use a spoon or other device to dispensemeasured quantities of fluid from the bottle. Due to the assorted sizesand shapes of spoons, the amount of fluid dispensed often times isinaccurate, thus leading to under 'or over dosages. measuring. device isnot readily available, as when a person is traveling; and when medicineis prescribed to be taken -at regular periodic intervals, a burden isplaced on the person to acquire some sort of measuring device. It is theprincipal object ofthis invention to provide a bottle cap which providesa fluid tight seal for the bottle and at the same time can be used-as -ameasuring device for dispensing fluid from the bottle.

it is another object of this invention to provide such a bottle caphaving a handle associated therewith which may be used for holding thecap while dispensing fluid In other cases, a spoon or other and whichmay be retracted and stored on the cap when the cap is used to cover thebottle opening.

It is another object ofthis invention to provide a combined bottle capand dispensing device provided with an-interior portion for containingfluid which ismarked with 'graduati'ons-to indicate quantity levels offluid..

It is another objector the invention to provide a combined bottle capand dispenser which can be manufactured in one piece and has anextendinghandle which can be folded and locked in storage position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined bottlecapand-dispenser whichhas an extending handleflezrible enough to 'be foldedinto a storage position but which has suflicient rigidity for permittingits use as a handle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bottle cap anddispenser combination which is provided with a handle hingedly connectedto the bottle cap and which can be recessed into the bottle cap inlocked position or unfolded and extended and locked in extendedposition.

The invention can be better understood from the following specificationtaken with the accompanying drawings in which three embodiments of theinvention are illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventionbeing used as a fluid dispenser;

Fig. 1a shows a transverse sectional view of the cap handle as viewedalong the line 1a-1a of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 shows a partial sectional view of the embodiment of the inventionof Fig. 1, but in storage position on a bottle;

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Fig. 3 shows a partial sectional view of a second embodiment of theinvention in its position on a bottle;

Fig. 4 shows a partial sectional top plan view-of the second embodimentof the invention as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of still a third embodiment of theinvention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the cap handle ismounted to the cap.

As illustrated in the drawings in Figs. 1 and 2, one embodiment of theinvention comprises a cap body 1 provided with internal threads 2 whichengage the exto be held conveniently while fluid 8 from a'bottle 4 ispoured into the cap body, 1. The arm 6 is made flexi-- ble enough thatit can be bent-around, as shown in Fig. 2, to a position where the hole7 near the extremityof the arm can be engaged with a pin 9 in order tokeep the arm 6 in a stored position as shown in Fig. 2. Because the arm6 is flexible, in order to impart greater rigidity to it at a-time whenfluid is being poured into the. capbody, the arm may be given atransversely curved shape as shown in Fig. 1a. This gives the arm 6 arigidity in adirection which would minimize the possibility of band ingunder the weight of fluid poured into the cap body.

In order to provide afluid tight connection betweenv the cap body andthe bottle top, an inwardly extending shoulder 10 is provided on theinternal-wall of the cap,

body and this shoulder contacts the upper rim 11 of the pouring apertureof the bottle when the cap is screwed tightly in place.

Within the cap body.

A second embodiment of the invention, as shown in :Figs. '3 and 4,comprises a cap body 15 provided with internal threads 16 for engagingthe threads 3 of abottle 4. In this case, the upperportion of the cap isprovided with a channel shaped groove 17 having a bottom wall '1'8 andtwo side walls 19 and 20. This groove 17 extends across the entire widthof the cap. Eachof the walls 19 and 20 are provided with grooves 21.and, closer to one end of .the groove 1than.the other are providedtwocylindrical recesses 22. Positioned in the groove 17' is an arm 23 whichis provided with laterally extending pins 24 at its one end which engagethe cylindrical recesses 22 inthe-channel wa1ls.. These pins 24 engagedwith the recesses 22 provide .a pivot or hinge for the arm In order topermit 'the' assembling of these pins 24"into the recesses 22, them 23is split for a portion of its length to provide an opening 25 betweentwo arm portions 26. This split permits the arm portions 26 to bedeflected toward each other to enable the pins 24 to be assembled intothe recesses 22. In addition, each outer edge of the arm portions 26 isprovided with a longitudinally tapered tongue 27 which normally engagesthe grooves 21 in the side walls of the channel 17. These tongues 27engage the grooves 21 when the arm 23 is in a retracted position as wellas when in an extended position as shown by phantom lines 28 in Fig. 4.The taper on these tongues 27 facilitates their removal from the grooves21 when moving the handle from one position to another. The opening 25,as well as permitting assembly of the pins 24 into the recesses 22, alsopermits deflection of the arm portions 26 to permit the tongues 27 to bealternately removed and reinserted into the grooves 21 as the arm 23 isalternately moved from its retracted position as shown in bold outlineto its extended position as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 4. To enablethe arm Patented Jan. 19, 1960..

Depending upon the quantities to be measured'and dispensed, suflicientspace 12 is provided 23' to be conveniently removed from its retractedposition, its outer end 29 protrudes a slight distance beyond theperipheral wall 30 of the bottle cap so that it can be convenientlyengaged by a finger. or fingernail. As in the case of thefirst'embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the internal wall of the capisprovided with a shoulder 31 which presses against the rim 32 of thepouring opening of the bottle when the capis screwed tightly into placeon the bottle. Also, graduation marks 33 can be providedon the insidewall of the cap to permit accurate measurement of fluids poured therein.These index marks can be indicated as fractional portions of the total 7volume of the cap or as teaspoon or tablespoon indications or any other'conven'ient measuring quantities.

Athird embodiment of the invention is shown in' Figs. and 6, andconsists of a'bottle cap body 35 provided with a pin 36 protrudingvertically from its upper surface adjacent one side of the cap. A flatcircular disk'37 is pivoted on this pin 36 and the diameter of the diskis the same as that of the cap body' 35. When in storage position, thedisk 37 iscoincident with the top surfaceof the cap body 35, while whenused as a handle for the cap, it is pivoted on Ithe'pin 36 to'a positionas shown in phantom lines 38. Even though the disk is shown as having acircular shape corresponding to the shape of the cap, it can be shapedas a. straight arm.

The. pin construction associated, with this embodiment is shownparticularly in Fig. 6. It is provided with a split 39 which divides thepin into two halves 40. The upper portion of the pin is provided with anoutwardly extending flange 41 which is used to engage the upper surface42 of the disk 37 to retain it in position. The upper portion of the pinis provided with a tapered slope' 43 which facilitates assembling of thedisk 37 onto the bottle as well as for a dispensing means in place of aspoon or other measuring device for dispensing accurate amounts of fluidwithout requiring additional dispensing means. I r

' I claim: I

1. A fluid dispensing cap for use on a bottle comprising a'cup shapedbody for covering the bottle opening and there providing a fluid tightseal and adapted to be removed from the bottle and filled with a measureof fluid from the bottle, said body having a channel extending acrossthe top of it comprising a bottom wall connected between two sideswalls, a handle pivoted at one end between said side walls and adaptedto be tongues engage the grooves, said grooves extending longitudinallybeyond both sides of the pivot region of the handle to enable the handleto be locked in'its retracted position when its marginal tongues engagethe grooves on one side of the pivot region ,and to be locked in itsextended position when its marginal tongues engage the grooves on theopposite side of the pivot'region.

2. A fluid dispensing cap for use on a bottle comprising a cup shapedbody for covering the bottle opening and there providing a fluid tightseal and adapted to be removed from the bottle and filled with a measureof fluid from the bottle,,said body having a channel extending acrossthe top of it comprising a bottom wall connected between two side walls,a handle pivoted at one end between said side walls and adapted to beangularly pivoted between a retracted'position substantially recessedwithin said channel for storage and an extended position extendingsubstantially beyond said channel to adapt the cap as a fluid measuringspoon, said handle beingprovided with marginal tongues for engaginggrooves in said walls for thereby locking the handle in a fixed positionrelative to the body when the tongues engage the grooves,"said groovesextending longitudinally beyond bothsides of the pivot region of thehandle to enable the handle to' be locked 'inits retracted position whenits marginal tongues engage the grooves on one side of the pivot regionand to be locked in its extended position when its marginal tonguesengage the grooves on the opposite side of the pivot region, saidtongues being wide enough in said pivot region to engage said groovesand taperedaway from saidpivot region to a width too narrow to engagesaid grooves, said tapering of the tongues facilitatingthe engagementand disengagement of the, tongues with'the grooves when the handle ispivoted between'the retracted and extended positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

